Education – Primary/Junior

General information

The Mitch and Leslie Frazer Faculty of Education offers a 16-month program in the preparation of Primary-Junior (P/J; Kindergarten to Grade 6) and Intermediate-Senior (I/S; Grade 7 to 12) teachers. The emphasis on technology in learning and teaching is a defining element of our university’s Bachelor of Education program. Teacher candidates use technology in their own learning experiences so that they will understand how to integrate technology into classroom practice. Courses use inquiry and problem-solving approaches with a focus on the importance of subject matter as the catalyst for teacher-learner interaction, as well as individual learning and teaching in shaping learning conditions. The faculty’s Bachelor of Education programs are based on key educational principles including technology, diversity, reflection and praxis.

The program models key elements of education at the edge of innovation, such as a blend of face-to-face and online curriculum offerings, and encouraging the use of digital technologies and multiple forms of literacy, enabling teacher candidates to be leaders of technology in their schools, school boards, and other workplace options, such as professional development, adult education, and training.

There are two routes of application into the program, as described below.

Consecutive option

Admission requirements

Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.

Applicants will hold an undergraduate degree from a recognized university, with a minimum required average of 73 to 76 per cent (B or 3.0 GPA) in their best 10 full-year or best 20 half-year courses completed. Preference will be given to students with a four-year honours degree.

Application information

Because Primary/Junior teachers deal with a wide range of subject areas, it is desirable that applicants have a broad academic background. In assessing the academic breadth of Primary/Junior applicants, the Faculty of Education gives preference to candidates who have one or more three-credit-hour undergraduate courses in the subject groupings listed below:

• English
• Equity/Indigenous Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Technology

While few applicants will have completed courses in all of the above areas, the more areas an applicant has covered, the stronger the application. Each candidate must have received the required undergraduate degree by July 1 of the year in which they begin their Bachelor of Education program.

The application service through Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) opens mid-September each year for Professional Program Applications to the Teacher Education Application Service (TEAS) and closes in late November/early December of each year. A complete application includes:

1. Transcripts – Applicants must ensure that any courses in progress are listed on the OUAC/TEAS application form, especially when appropriate prerequisites do not appear on the official transcripts being forwarded. 
2. Evidence of oral and written proficiency in English.

A clear criminal record check is a post-admission requirement for all successful applicants.

Concurrent option

Admission requirements

A concurrent admission option is available for students applying to or currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at Ontario Tech University. This option allows students to apply directly for advance acceptance into an Education program at the same time as applying for or studying an undergraduate degree. The option is available for both the Primary/Junior and Intermediate/Senior programs. The option requires students to take a minimum of four Educational Studies (EDST) courses and allows students to participate in education seminars, visit classes and discover if a career in education is right for them. Students will be encouraged to meet faculty, current teacher candidates and graduates to gain a better understanding of the teaching profession and the multiple career paths one can pursue with a Bachelor of Education degree.

The Primary/Junior Concurrent option is available for undergraduate students in the following faculties:

• Faculty of Business and Information Technology

• Faculty of Education

• Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

• Faculty of Health Sciences

• Faculty of Science

• Faculty of Social Science and Humanities

Application information

New applicants interested in pursuing the concurrent option must apply directly to the undergraduate program of their choice on the OUAC website. Applicants must meet all prerequisites for the undergraduate application, as well as a competitive admission average. For more information, see admissions . Upon completion of the undergraduate program, eligible students will directly enter the Bachelor of Education program. Students must receive their undergraduate degree by July 1 to begin the Bachelor of Education program the following September. Transition into the Bachelor of Education program is dependent on undergraduate GPA and completion of subject specialization requirements, including four Educational Studies courses with a minimum combined GPA of 3.5 (or A-minus): 

• EDST 1000U – Foundations of Learning  
• EDST 2110U – Assessment and Evaluation  
• Two EDST courses of their choice.

Current undergraduate students may apply and be accepted in the winter semester of students’ second or third year of studies in an undergraduate program at our university. This program will have limited space and applications are considered on a competitive basis based on GPA. Successful applicants will be notified by the Office of the Registrar by the end of May after the term of application. Students in their final year of study are not eligible for this option and must apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) as outlined in the Consecutive sections above.

During the fall semester of the students’ final year of study, the Faculty of Education will determine whether students have met eligibility requirements to continue into the Bachelor of Education program. Eligible students must present a minimum GPA of 3.5 in their best 20 courses and have completed the four required EDST courses to gain admission into the Bachelor of Education program.

Field experience

Field experience includes a minimum of 80 days of practical experience, appropriate to the format and structure of the program, in schools and other situations approved by the College for observation and practice teaching (Regulation 347/02, Section 1). A teacher candidate who is not successful in placement, and therefore fails the Foundations course, will be removed from the program.

Teacher certification

The university’s Bachelor of Education programs are designed to meet all the Ontario legislated requirements and incorporate the standards of practice and ethical standards for the teaching profession of the Ontario College of Teachers.

Graduates will be recommended by the university to the Ontario College of Teachers for certification to practice in the Ontario education system.

Program details and degree requirements

To be eligible for the Bachelor of Education degree, students must successfully complete the courses outlined below. Students must achieve a B (73 to 76 per cent) in each Bachelor of Education course to be eligible for progression in and graduation from the Bachelor of Education degree program.

Although reasonable efforts will be made to adhere to the following program map, course requirements and term offerings may change. For the most up-to-date list of course offerings please visit the faculty website at education.ontariotechu.ca.

The degree requirement for the Bachelor of Education Primary/Junior program is 60 credit hours, including 54 credit hours of required courses and six credit hours of elective courses.

The Bachelor of Education is a full-time program. A student in the Bachelor of Education program must remain registered in 15 credit hours per term to continue, unless an accommodation for a reduced course load has been approved.

The Bachelor of Education program is a professional program and accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers. Attendance is mandatory in all classes and multiple absences may result in field experience cancellation and removal from the program. The faculty strives to provide support and guidance for students struggling with attendance and will work collaboratively with students on improvement toward success.

Fall semester (15 credit hours)

• EDUC 1300U – Foundations I: Planning and Preparation
• EDUC 1301U – Learning and Development
• EDUC 1302U – P/J Digital Literacies I (Language Arts and Digital Technology)
• EDUC 1315U – The Arts Primary/Junior
• EDUC 1330U – P/J Mathematics Methods I
• EDUC 1370U – P/J Science & Technology Methods I

Winter semester (15 credit hours)

• EDUC 1305U – Foundations II: Curriculum Theory and Practice
• EDUC 1306U – P/J Digital Literacies/Social Studies II (Language Arts and Social Studies)
• EDUC 1308U – P/J Mathematical Thinking and Doing
• EDUC 1314U – P/J Health & Physical Education
• EDUC 1340U – P/J Mathematics Methods II
• EDUC 1380U – P/J Science & Technology Methods II

Spring semester (15 credit hours - online)

• EDUC 2400U – Equity and Diversity
• EDUC 2401U – Learning in Digital Contexts
• EDUC 2402U – Teaching for Inclusion: Special Needs and Individualized Education
• EDUC 2404U – Education Law, Policy and Ethics
• EDUC 2406U – Reflective Practice/Action Research

Fall semester (15 credit hours)

• Two fall electives**
• EDUC 2405U – Foundations III: Long Range Planning and Assessment
• EDUC 2407U – Mental Health Issues in Schools
• EDUC 2408U – P/J Coding and Communication

**Education electives

Elective requirements: six credit hours selected from the following list. Both electives must be taken during the second fall term.

Note: Not all listed electives will be available every year. 

Program learning outcomes

The following outcomes outline the knowledge and skills students will have achieved upon completion of the program.